Intelligent networks provide network operators with considerable flexibility and economy in structuring product offerings and providing a wide variety of telecommunications conveniences and services. A typical intelligent network architecture allows the switched transport to interact with database systems and intelligent peripherals. When a service subscriber/user dials the number of an advanced service, i.e., an intelligent network call, the local telephone exchange transfers this call to an exchange with a service switching function (SSF). Such an exchange is often referred to as a service switching point (SSP) and may be an ordinary exchange, i.e., local, transit, tandem, or international. The SSF detects trigger conditions during the normal switching process. Such trigger conditions can occur at the origination of a call, during a call, and at the termination of a call. After triggering an incoming IN call, the SSF sends a message to a service control function (SCF) in a service control point (SCP) located in the same exchange or at different exchange. During an intelligent network call, a number of messages may be sent between the SSP and the SCP.
The information flows between the network functions residing in different physical nodes are implemented in the IN application layer is protocol (INAP). The INAP protocol uses transport capabilities application part (TCAP) on top of connectionless SCCP (signaling connection control part). The application layer messages are specified in abstract syntax notation 1 (ASN.1).
When the SSF detects a trigger, it sends a message containing the dialed number and general call information to the SCF. The SCF invokes appropriate service logic to analyze the received message. Such analysis identifies the requested service and also provides charging information. The SCF then issues one or more commands to the SSF to initiate the appropriate actions to fulfill the service such as setting up or releasing connections, activating an intelligent peripheral, etc. Intelligent peripherals conduct communication with subscribers by sending various automated voice announcements and receiving responses in the form of subscriber dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) digit tones. Intelligent peripherals allow the subscriber to access services that current network signaling systems do not support.
A significant advantage of intelligent networks is that the service control architecture is independent of the underlying communications network. Each IN service is typically composed of several service features or basic, reusable components called service independent building blocks (SIBs). Service independent building blocks provide network operators with the ability to design their own advanced services as service "scripts" simply by properly selecting and sequencing basic service script modules. A service script combines service logic and service data in a particular sequence of SIBs designed and tested to provide a particular service. During call processing and rendering of a service, the service script corresponding to the service is "interpreted" or executed to provide the requested service. Each new service is defined, specified, developed, and tested in a special service creation environment linked to a service management system (SMS) and then simply downloaded to the service control point. Service script software need only be implemented in the SCP and not in every switch within the network.
Thus, an IN concentrates the data and functions required for a service into a minimum number of nodes, separates service logic from the network resources, logically views the service data and resources, and separates service creation from the network provision of these services. As a result, the intelligent network architecture provides substantial flexibility and efficiency in the design and rendering of specific services.
A significant shortcoming of IN services is that they do not integrate operator-assisted support/services. In other words, IN services are generally limited to machine-implemented, automatic services. There are many instances, however, where machine-implemented services alone are unsatisfactory or otherwise undesirable. For example, consider an IN service scenario instance where a caller dials a special "800" service number in order to make a credit card purchase or to order an airline flight ticket. This "800" number is recognized and routed to an appropriate SSP. The SSP detects a call trigger and queries the SCP as to how to handle the call. The IN service scripted in the SCP for handling the call uses an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) intelligent peripheral to initiate interaction between the caller and the IVR machine. The caller is prompted for different types of information such as entry of an account number, flight destination, dates of travel, etc. Perhaps in the interaction between the caller and the IVR intelligent peripheral the caller is offered a menu of different options one of which may be selected by depressing an appropriate DTMF key or key sequence.
In addition to this automated service, many callers want to request additional services not offered as one of the automated menu options, or sometimes the caller needs a service that cannot be provided by an automated attendant. As an example of the latter, if the caller is entering erroneous information or making inconsistent selections, i.e., is having difficulty with the automated interface, it would be desirable to involve a live operator who could volunteer assistance to the caller. A live operator could answer questions, provide further information regarding various options, and take appropriate action to assist the operator or render further services. But this kind of cooperation between live operators and IN-based automated services is not available.
Still further, it would be desirable that after assisting the caller, the operator is able to redirect the call back to the original IN service at the same point at which the service was interrupted or at a different point. It would also be desirable to alternatively permit an operator to redirect the call to another destination, e.g., to another party or to another service oriented device like the caller's voice mailbox. To achieve such flexible operator interface with the IN network, it would be desirable that the IN service logic respond to service logic level commands initiated by a human operator in the rendering of a service to a caller. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide such flexible service capabilities and integration between standard IN services and operator-assisted services without having to physically route all calls to a single switching node to which the operator is connected.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to integrate human operator-based services with IN-based services.
It is an object of the invention to provide cooperation between live operators and automated IN-based services.
It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism by which service feature requests and responses are communicated between the service logic of an IN-based service and a human operator workstation.
The present invention overcomes these problems and needs and achieves these and other objects by integrating automatic IN services with operator-assisted services on business, service, and technology levels. This integration broadens the service portfolio that a service provider offers to subscribers to include both automatic and manually assisted (i.e., operator-assisted) services. Moreover, the flexibility of IN, script-based service development may be advantageously deployed to develop services that involve both automatic and operator service feature elements. In other words, both automatic and operator service features may be freely combined into new service scripts. An example of such an integrated script might be a "fall back" service to a human operator in the automatic attendant (IN) service as described above.
Since the control activities of the operator system are integrated at a logical level with the control activities of the IN system, the service logic of the operator system is separated from network switching functions. As a result, calls no longer have to be physically routed to the switching node where the operator is connected. In addition, the same network planning and strategy principals employed in standard IN services may also be applied to operator services. The invention also allows more flexibility to optimally utilize remote human operators. Other automatic resources such as announcement machines, voice recognition devices, speech synthesis devices, etc. are more efficiently utilized being shared by both IN services and operator-assisted services.
The present invention includes a method for providing telecommunications services where a call is initially detected in an intelligent network from a party requesting a telecommunications service. The call is processed and an intelligent network service is provided using service logic and resources in the intelligent network. At some point in the call, it is determined that the call requires the assistance of a human operator outside of the intelligent network. The call is then connected to the human operator which provides an operator-assisted service to the caller in addition to the service provided by the intelligent network.
In communicating with the caller, the operator may initiate an action at an operator workstation that is ultimately provided to and executed by the intelligent network service logic. Such execution typically includes executing one or more service independent building blocks to implement the operator-initiated command in the context of a service script composed of several service independent building blocks. Significantly, the communications path established between the operator workstation and the intelligent network service logic is independent of telephony switching functions.
A telecommunications system in accordance with the present invention includes an operator assistance call center with one or more human operators where each human operator has an operator workstation and a telephone. The intelligent network includes a service switching element and a service control element. After receiving and processing a service request from a calling party, the intelligent network integrates one or more service features provided by one of the human operators from the operator assistance call center in rendering the requested service.
A call center server communicates with the operator workstations and the service control element of the IN. The call center server functions as a gateway between the plural operator workstations and the IN service logic. The call center server provides information regarding the calling party forwarded by the intelligent network service control element to the operator workstation to aid the operator in servicing the caller. In interaction with the caller, the operator may generate a command at the operator's workstation requesting that the call be redirected to another calling destination. The calling center server conveys that command to the intelligent network service control element which then instructs the service switching element to redirect the call to the other calling destination. Advantageously, the present invention also permits the call center server to provide billing information to the intelligent network corresponding to the service provided by the operator in order to determine an overall charge for the call by the intelligent network.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practicing the invention.